Nicotine lozenge and therapeutic method for smoking cessation

ABSTRACT

A method for smoking cessation therapy is described that utilizing an improved nicotine lozenge to satisfy transient craving. The lozenge contains nicotine, a nonnutritive sweetener and an absorbent excipient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to compositions and therapeutic methods forreducing the craving for nicotine and for smoking cessation. Moreparticularly, this invention is directed to improved compositions ofnicotine lozenges and therapeutic methods to provide periodic doses ofnicotine to persons who are attempting to quit smoking.

Nicotine replacement therapy as an aid to quitting smoking has beenbecome increasingly popular. Nicotine chewing gum (nicotine polacrilex)and transdermal nicotine are two of the more popular forms of nicotinereplacement available commercially. It has become clear, however, thatthe mere replacement of cigarettes with another nicotine source may notbe sufficient to insure success in smoking cessation therapy.Specifically, conventional nicotine replacement therapy does notadequately address the symptoms associated with the cessation ofsmoking.

Of the many smoking withdrawal symptoms, craving for cigarettes is oneof the most difficult to alleviate. As described in Steuer, J. D. andWewers, M. E. in Oncology Nursing Forum 1989, 16, 193-198, cigarettecraving is one of the most consistent, most severe, and earliestwithdrawal symptoms experienced by those attempting to quit smoking.Some reports suggest that craving peaks over the first 24 to 72 hours ofabstinence and then declines, although craving has been reported afterfive years of abstinence.

Research is focusing on the factors that precipitate craving in anattempt to better understand and deal with the problem of relapse. Someinvestigators believe that certain smokers are much more likely thanothers to experience craving symptoms, especially when trying to quitsmoking. Based on literature reports and his own investigations,Harrington (in Br. J. Soc. Clin. Psychol. 1978, 17, 363-371) reportedthat smokers can be separated by craving versus noncraving status, andthat these separate populations have different responses to smokingcessation therapy. (In his study, treatment consisted of variousbehavioral strategies, and nicotine replacement was not used.) Inparticular, abstinence during treatment and success at the end oftreatment were significantly related to being a noncraver.

Most commercially available products for nicotine replacement in smokingcessation therapy have not specifically addressed the issue ofsatisfying craving for nicotine. Instead, as mentioned above, they havegenerally been targeted towards providing a stable baseline level ofnicotine in the blood. Some evidence indicates that low consistent bloodlevels of nicotine (as provided by transdermal nicotine, and to a lesserextent by nicotine gum) relieve some of the symptoms of nicotinewithdrawal, but craving symptoms may not be among these (see Russell, M.A. H. in Nicotine Replacement: a Critical Evaluation; Pomerleau, O. F.and Pomerleau, C. S., Eds.; Alan R. Liss, Inc.: New York, 1988; pp63-94). This may be because cigarette smoking provides an initial sharprise in blood level, which is missing in these nicotine replacementtherapies. The blood level peak produced by cigarettes is both higher(between 30-40 ng/mL) and sharper (this peak is attained within 10minutes) than the steadier levels obtained from gum or a transdermalsystem. Russell states that the optimal steady-state blood level fornicotine replacement is between 10-15 ng/mL, but that quick-rise effectsare probably necessary for more complete relief from craving in theearly stages of cigarette withdrawal. His investigations have indicatedthat a rise in nicotine blood level of at least 10 ng/mL in 10 minutesis required to obtain postsynaptic effects at nicotinic cholinergicreceptors in the central nervous system and at autonomic ganglia. Thesepostsynaptic effects may be responsible for drug-like "high" feelingssuch as lightheadedness or dizziness experienced by cigarette smokers.

As mentioned above, nicotine gum (nicotine polacrilex) is one of thecommercially available sources of nicotine for replacement therapy.Nicotine gum is actually an ion-exchange resin that releases nicotineslowly when the patient chews, and the nicotine present in the mouth isdelivered directly to the systemic circulation by buccal absorption.However, much of the nicotine is retained in the gum through incompletechewing or is largely wasted through swallowing, so that the systemicbioavailability of nicotine from gum is low and averages only 30-40%.Moreover, compared with cigarette smoking, nicotine gum is a slow andinefficient source of nicotine.

Nicotine replacement through transdermal nicotine systems is anothertherapy that has become commercially available. These nicotine patchesprovide a low, consistent blood level of nicotine to the user, andbypass the first pass effects of the gut and liver. Transdermal nicotinesystems can be designed to provide higher steady-state blood levels ofnicotine, but are unable to provide blood level peaks or to provide arapid increase in blood level. Thus both nicotine gum and transdermalnicotine compete with each other as products providing steady-statenicotine blood levels, but do not satisfy craving symptoms forcigarettes in some smokers.

Other nicotine replacement products that are on the market or have beenproposed in the literature have not been of serious interest in smokingcessation therapy, because of problems related to their use, and alsobecause of limited ability to satisfy craving for cigarettes. Nicotinevapor has been delivered to patients in aerosol form, similar to theinhaler technology used to supply bronchial asthma medications, and in a"smokeless cigarette" such as that marketed by Advanced Tobacco Productsunder the trade name Favor®. Some data indicate, however, that thesemodes of nicotine delivery do not result in significant nicotine bloodlevels in patients after use. In addition, inhalation of these nicotinevapor products may be too irritating to the mucosa to be tolerable bypatients.

Another smokeless version of nicotine delivered to the buccal mucosa isprovided by chewing tobacco, oral snuff, or tobacco sachets. Tobaccosachets, which are especially popular in Scandinavia and the U.S.,contain ground tobacco in packets that are sucked or held in the mouth.However, as shown in FIG. (cigarette, nicotine gum, and tobacco sachetlevels from Russell, M. A. H., Jarvis, M. J., et al. Lancet 1985, 21370), use of tobacco sachets results in nicotine blood levels that aremore comparable to those resulting from nicotine gum use than from thoseresulting from cigarette smoking; i.e. they require approximately 30minutes of use to attain the maximum level of approximately 12 ng/mL,which is less than half of the peak value from smoking one cigarette.One possible reason that nicotine from tobacco sachets is absorbed soslowly is that nicotine is released slowly into the mouth as withnicotine gum; another may be that a significant proportion of thenicotine is swallowed, and therefore subject to the first pass effect ofthe stomach and liver. In any case, these oral delivery forms may beuseful for producing low, steady-state nicotine blood levels, but theydo not provide the peak levels needed to satisfy craving.

The literature describes other capsules, tablets, and lozenges for oraldelivery of nicotine. For example, WO 8803803 discloses a chewablecapsule filled with a liquid containing 0.1-10.0 mg of nicotine,together with additives for improving flavor and dispersion. Thecapsules are provided in a variety of pH values to allow the patient achoice of nicotine absorption rate, and are especially intended as anaid to quitting smoking.

Another nicotine capsule formulation is disclosed by M. E. Jarvik et al.(in Clin. Pharm. Ther. 1970, 11, 574-576) for ingestion as a smokingcessation aid. These capsules, however, were apparently swallowed wholeby the subjects, according to the theory that intestinal absorption ofnicotine could produce significant blood levels. The study showed asmall but significant decrease in the number of cigarettes smoked bysubjects, but no quantitative measurements of nicotine blood levels wereobtained.

The literature also describes different designs of tablets fordelivering nicotine to the mouth and digestive system. BE 899037discloses a tablet containing 0.1 to 5 mg nicotine as a base orwater-soluble acid salt as an aid for quitting smoking.

Wesnes and Warburton (in Psychopharmacology 1984, 82, 147-150; andPsychopharmacology 1986, 89, 55-59) discuss the use of nicotine tabletsin experiments examining the effects of nicotine on learning andinformation processing. In the first experiment, nicotine was added todextrose tablets with a drop of tabasco sauce added to disguise thetaste of nicotine. In the second experiment, nicotine was added tomagnesium hydroxide tablets, under the theory that an alkalineenvironment in the mouth would enhance buccal absorption. Again, tabascosauce was added to the tablets to mask the taste of nicotine in bothactive and placebo tablets. The subjects were instructed to hold thetablets in the mouth for 5 minutes before swallowing, in order tomaximize contact with the buccal mucosa.

Shaw (for example in GB 2142822 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,356) describes anicotine lozenge prepared from a mixture of inert filler material, abinder, and either pure nicotine or a nicotine-containing substance bycold compression. The lozenges are intended to be held in the mouth asthey dissolve slowly and release nicotine gradually in the buccalcavity.

WO 9109599 describes a nicotine product for oral delivery in the form ofan inclusion complex of nicotine and a cyclodextrin compound. The patentalso discusses the use of various excipients and direct compression formanufacture of the product.

In recent years, several nicotine lozenges have been commercialized andare available as over-the-counter products in the U.K. Resolution®lozenges, manufactured by Phoenix Pharmaceuticals and distributed byErnest Jackson, contain 0.5 mg nicotine, together with the anti-oxidantvitamins A, C, and E. Stoppers® lozenges, distributed by CharwellPharmaceuticals Ltd., contain 0.5 mg nicotine and are available inchocolate, orange and peppermint flavors.

Since nicotine has an acrid, burning taste, these nicotine lozengestypically are formulated with sugar as a major component. However,weight gain after smoking cessation has been identified as a significantfactor contributing to smoking relapse. According to a recent survey,current Smokers who had tried to quit were asked to judge the importanceof several possible reasons for their return to smoking. Twenty-sevenpercent reported that "actual weight gain" was a "very important" or"somewhat important" reason why they resumed smoking: twenty-two percentsaid that "the possibility of gaining weight" was an important reasonfor their relapse. See The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation: AReport of the Surgeon General, Executive Summary (1990). Thus,sugar-based nicotine lozenge formulations may be unacceptable for asmoking cessation program for those subjects concerned with weight gain.

To date, it has been difficult to deliver nicotine in a profilemimicking the nicotine blood levels achieved by consistent smoking, tosatisfy cravings for nicotine in people who are attempting to quitsmoking, and thus, to provide greater protection against relapse thanother nicotine replacement therapies for people who are trying to quitsmoking. It is therefore desirable to provide improved lozengecompositions and methods which avoid the disadvantages of theseconventional nicotine delivery devices and methods while providing aneffective means for delivering nicotine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for the use of nicotine lozengescontaining nonnutritive sweeteners as a method of reducing craving fornicotine and of smoking cessation therapy. More specifically, thepresent invention provides a novel method for producing transient bloodlevels of nicotine mimicking the effects of cigarette smoking,comprising the periodic use of nicotine lozenges, preferably comprisingnicotine, an absorbent excipient, and a nonnutritive sweetener, and morepreferably a combination of nonnutritive sweeteners, to provide rapiddelivery of nicotine to the buccal mucosa. The nicotine lozenges aredesigned to be held in the patient's mouth and sucked, and to releasenicotine into the buccal cavity. In a preferred embodiment, the nicotineis released rapidly with maximum nicotine blood levels occurring from 2to 30 minutes after administration of the lozenge.

The lozenges contain fairly low doses, preferably less than 5 mg, andmost preferably from 0.5 to 2.0 mg, of nicotine. In particularlypreferred embodiments, the nicotine is dispersed in mannitol orβ-cyclodextrin and the lozenge is a buffered formulation, preferably ata pH of 6-11, and more preferably at a pH of 7-9. In the most preferredformulation, the lozenge contains the nonnutritive sweetener xylitol,known for its noncariogenic properties, in combination with thesweetener ammonium glycyrrhizinate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph of average nicotine plasma levels (nanograms(ng)/milliliter (mL)), resulting from use of cigarettes, tobaccosachets, or nicotine gum, as a function of time (minutes).

FIG. 2 is a graph of the disintegration/dissolution profiles (weight %dissolved) of three different lozenge formulations, each containing 1 mgnicotine, as a function of time (minutes).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

I. Terminology

Unless otherwise stated, the following terms used in the specificationand claims have the meanings given below:

"Buccal administration" refers to any system or device for oraladministration of a drug to a patient that is held in the mouth and isused to deliver a drug through the buccal mucosa and into the patient'sbody. This term includes, but is not limited to, lozenges, capsules, andtablets.

"Essential oil" refers to a natural oil with a distinctive scentsecreted by the glands of certain aromatic plants having terpenes as themajor component. Examples of essential oils include, but are not limitedto, citrus oils, flower oils (e.g., rose and jasmine), and oil ofcloves.

"Nicotine" refers to nicotine free base, i.e., a compound having theformula: ##STR1##

"Nicotine salt" refers to any mono- or bis-pharmaceutically acidaddition acceptable salt or metal salt of nicotine.

"Nicotine lozenge" refers to any lozenge, capsule, tablet, or otherdevice for buccal delivery of nicotine.

"Nonnutritive sweetener" refers to a synthetic or natural substancewhose sweetness is higher than or comparable to sucrose and which mayhave properties such as reduced cariogenicity, health benefits fordiabetics, or reduced caloric value compared to sugars.

"Pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt" refers to those saltswhich retain the biological effectiveness and properties of the freebases and which are not biologically or otherwise undesirable, formedwith inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid,sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and the like, and organicacids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, pyruvic acid,oxalic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid,fumaric acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid,mandelic acid, menthanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid,p-toluenesulfonic acid, salicylic acid and the like. For a descriptionof pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts, see Bundgaard, H.,ed., (1985) Design of Prodrugs, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam.

"Pharmaceutically acceptable metal salt" refers to those salts whichretain the biological effectiveness and properties of the free bases andwhich are not biologically or otherwise undesirable, formed with alkalimetal ions such as sodium or potassium; alkaline earth metal ions suchas calcium and magnesium; and other metal ions such as zinc.

II. The Lozenge

The present invention provides for lozenges used to deliver nicotine toa patient for reducing his craving for nicotine and for smokingcessation therapy, and methods of using nicotine lozenges for thispurpose, including but not limited to the embodiments and methodsdescribed below. The nicotine lozenge of the present invention comprisesany lozenge, tablet, or capsule formulation that delivers nicotine tothe buccal cavity, comprising nicotine dispersed in an absorbentexcipient and a nonnutritive sweetener.

A. Nicotine

Nicotine is a heterocyclic compound that exists in both a free base anda salt form. The free base is extremely volatile and is absorbed readilythrough mucous membranes and intact skin. The major problems reportedfor products based on nicotine free base originate from the volatilityof the nicotine, its acrid, burning taste, the irritant sensation of themucous membranes, and the decomposition of nicotine in the presence ofoxygen. Previously, these problems have been alleviated, in part,through the use of nicotine's salt form, i.e., an acid addition salt ormetal salt.

Surprisingly, the lozenges described herein can be produced from eitherthe free base or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition saltthereof, or any combination thereof. In the exemplary embodiment,nicotine, i.e., the free base form of nicotine, is used.

Regardless of the formulation used, the lozenge contains fairly lowdoses of nicotine, preferably between 0.5 and 5 mg, and most preferablyfrom 0.5 to 2.0 mg, to avoid accidental overdosage by swallowing thelozenge intact. High doses are not required because the purpose of thenicotine lozenge is to provide a transient blood level peak of nicotine.

B. The Absorbent Excipient

According to the compositions and methods described herein, the nicotineis dispersed in an absorbent excipient. Absorbent excipients arepharmaceutically acceptable substances that are capable 1) of reducingthe volatility of the nicotine, for example, through absorption or bythe incorporation of nicotine, such as in an inclusion complex, and 2)of being compressed into a lozenge or tablet. Suitable absorbentexcipients include, but are not limited to, mannitol; cyclodextrins,including α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrin, as well as derivatives ofcyclodextrins, such as trimethyl-β-cyclodextrin,dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin, hydroxyethyl-β-cyclodextrin, andhydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin; silica preparations, such as the syntheticsilica formulation marketed under the trade name Syloid™ by W. R. GraceLimited of North Dale House, North Circular Road, London; cellulosicmaterials, such as Avicel microcellulose manufactured by FMCCorporation; and other conventional binders and fillers used in the foodindustry, such as acacia powder, gelatin, gum arabic, and sorbitol.

According to some embodiments, the absorbent excipient will serve morethan one role in the lozenge formulation. For example, mannitol canfunction as both a nonnutritive sweetener and an absorbent excipient.Similarly, the absorbent excipient can serve as a flavorant, bufferingagent, lubricant, or other component of the lozenge.

The absorbent excipient is typically present in an amount between about5 and 25% by weight (wt %), preferably in an amount between about 5 and20 wt %, and more preferably in an amount between about 5 and 15 wt %.

In a preferred embodiment, the absorbent excipient comprises mannitol orβ-cyclodextrin.

C. The Nonnutritive Sweetener

The lozenge will also contain a nonnutritive sweetener. Since nicotinehas an acrid, burning taste, the choice of a sweetener for a nicotinelozenge can be critical, for many patients do not find the taste ofnicotine palatable in lozenge form. Typically, a nonnutritive sweeteneror combination of sweeteners will be utilized in the lozenges describedherein.

A nonnutritive sweetener is a synthetic or natural sugar substitutewhose sweetness is higher than or comparable to sucrose. Table I listsexamples of nonnutritive sweeteners and their relative sweetness values.

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                        Nonnutritive Sweeteners                                                       Sweetener  Sweetness.sup.1                                                                          Sweetener   Sweetness.sup.1                             ______________________________________                                        Saccharin  400-500    Invert sugar                                                                              1.1-1.2                                     Cyclamate  30-40      Palantinose 0.4-0.5                                     Aspartame  100-200    Xylitol     1.0                                         Acesulfame  200       Sorbitol    0.5-0.6                                     Monellin   2500       Mannitol    0.4-0.6                                     Neohesperidine                                                                           1000       Maltitol    0.7-0.9                                     Palatinit  0.4-0.5    --          --                                          ______________________________________                                    

Thus, the nonnutritive sweetener should have a relative sweetness valuebetween about 0.4 and 2500, as compared with sucrose, more typicallybetween about 0.4 and 500, preferably between about 0.4 and 200, andmore preferably, between about 0.4 and 2. See Makinen (1988) Oral Health78:57-66, which is incorporated herein by reference.

In a preferred embodiment, the nonnutritive sweetener is alsononcariogenic. The cariogenicity of a substance is dependent upon itssusceptibility to fermentation by Streptococcus mutans and other oralmicroorganisms. Dental researchers have long recognized that fermentablesweeteners such as sucrose, glucose, starch, and corn syrup arecariogenic or caries causing. The polyol nonnutritive sweeteners, suchas xylitol, sorbitol, fructose, invert sugar, palantinose, mannitol,maltitol, palatinit, and ammonium glycyrrhizinate, however, aregenerally not fermented to any significant degree and are lesscariogenic than sucrose. See Olinger presented at the Interphex-USAConference/Exhibition, New York; May 8-11, 1990.

More specifically, the ability of xylitol to inhibit the development ofnew caries has been demonstrated in numerous in vitro and in vivostudies. For example, field trials of oral products containing xylitolhave suggested that substitution of sucrose by xylitol in products suchas chewing gum may aid in prevention of dental caries (see Soderling,E., and Scheinin, A., Proc. Finn. Dent. Soc. 1991, 87(2), 217-229).Studies have also revealed that when xylitol-containing confections areconsumed as part of a normal diet, in conjunction with accepted oralhygiene practices, new caries incidence is reduced by about 50% to ashigh as 80%. See Olinger supra.

Moreover, the literature suggests that nonnutritive sweeteners, andparticularly xylitol, may be useful as a sugar substitute for weightcontrol, (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,711), which is clearly a major concernfor people who are quitting smoking. In addition, xylitol as been shownto prolong gastric emptying and decrease food intake in humans. SeeShafer et al. (1987) Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45:744-47. Likewise, becausexylitol is not metabolized as a sugar, it has value for use with peoplewho must restrict their sugar intake, such as diabetics (see Maukinen,K., Oral Health 1988, 78(9), page 6).

Xylitol also has a cooling effect when it dissolves in the mouth, due toits negative heat of solution. Xylitol's heat of solution is -36.6cal/g, compared to -28.9 cal/g for mannitol, -26.6 cal/g for sorbitol,and -4.3 cal/g for sucrose (see Olinger, P. M., presented at theInterphex.USA Conference/Exhibition, New York; May 8-11, 1990).Therefore, xylitol is an excellent choice for a sweetener and excipientin a lozenge that needs to be held in the mouth for an extended periodof time, and that needs to be taken frequently every day for maximumtherapeutic effect.

Frequently a combination of nonnutritive sweeteners will be used.According to one embodiment, a sweetener with temporal sensoryproperties similar to that of sucrose (i.e., an appearance time of about4 seconds and an extinction time of 13 seconds, e.g., some of the polyolsweeteners, saccharin, cyclamate and aspartame) will be combined with asweetener whose sweetness develops slower or persists longer. Forexample, ammonium glycyrrhizinate, a nonnutritive sweetener with aslight licorice taste, has a taste onset or appearance time of about 16seconds for ammonium glycyrrhizinate and a taste persistence orextinction time of 69 seconds. Dubois and Lee (1983) Chem. Sens.7:237-248. Other examples of nonnutritive sweeteners with temporalsensory properties different than that of sucrose include, but are notlimited to, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone (appearance time of 9 secondsand an extinction time of 40 seconds) and stevioside (appearance time of4 seconds and an extinction time of 22 seconds).

Thus, in a preferred formulation, the lozenge will contain anonnutritive, noncariogenic sweetener, such as xylitol, sorbitol,fructose, invert sugar, palantinose, mannitol, maltitol, and palatinit,either alone or in combination with other nonnutritive sweeteners. Morepreferably, xylitol, either alone or in combination with a nonnutritivesweetener having an extinction time longer than that of sucrose, such asammonium glycyrrhizinate, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone, or stevioside,will be used. In an exemplary embodiment, the nonnutritive sweetenerwill comprise xylitol and ammonium glycyrrhizinate.

The nonnutritive sweetener is typically present in an amount betweenabout 50 and 90 wt %, preferably in an amount between about 70 and 90 wt%, and more preferably in an amount between about 80 and 90 wt %.

Other Ingredients

The lozenge preferably is a buffered formulation in order to aid inbuccal absorption of nicotine. A preferred formulation is at a pH ofabout 6-11, and preferably at a pH of about 7-9. Preferred bufferedformulations will include sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodiumphosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide,magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, and other substances known tothose skilled in the art, as well as combinations of the aforementionedsubstances. In a most preferred formulation, the lozenge will containsodium carbonate and bicarbonate as buffering agents.

The buffering agent(s) should be present in an amount sufficient toadjust the pH of the lozenge to between 6 and 11, typically, betweenabout 0.1 and 25 % by weight (wt %), preferably in an amount betweenabout 0.1 and 10 wt %, and more preferably in an amount between about0.1 and 5 wt %.

In addition, the lozenge may contain a flavorant, for example, a candytaste, such as chocolate, orange, vanilla, and the like; essential oilssuch as peppermint, spearmint and the like; or other flavor, such asaniseed, eucalyptus, 1-menthol, carvone, anethole and the like, to maskthe taste of nicotine. See Hall et al. Food Technol. 14:488 (1960);15:20 (1961); 19:151 (1965); 24:25 (1970); 26:35 (1972); 27:64 (1973);27:56 (1973); 28:76 (1974); 29:70 (1974) 31:65 (1977); 32:60 (1978); and33:65 (1979), each of which is incorporated herein by reference. It mayalso contain tobacco flavor in order to reproduce some of the sensationof smoking for the user. A small amount of colloidal silica (less thanabout 1 wt %) typically is added to tablets containing tobacco flavor toaid in manufacturing.

Magnesium stearate and/or hydrogenated vegetable oil may also be addedto the formulation as lubricants. Typically, the lubricant will bepresent in an amount between about 0.1 and 25 wt %, preferably in anamount between about 0.1 and 10 wt %, and more preferably in an amountbetween about 0.1 and 5 wt %.

The lozenges described herein may also contain a variety of otheradditives. For example, pharmacologically active ingredients such assodium monofluorophosphate, sodium fluoride, dextranase, mutanase,hinokitiol, allantoin, aminocaproic acid, tranexamic acid, azulene,vitamin E derivatives, sodium chloride and the like can be added atneed. More specifically, since the effects of xylitol and fluoride ondental hygiene are additive, the former can significantly enhance theefficacy of traditional fluoride treatments. Thus, according to oneembodiment, fluoride, and more particularly sodium monofluorophosphateor sodium fluoride will be incorporated into a lozenge formulationhaving xylitol as a nonnutritive sweetener.

In addition, the lozenge may be colored with conventional,pharmaceutically acceptable food coloring agents. Other additives thatmay be incorporated within the lozenges described herein include, butare not limited to, preservatives, antimicrobial agents, andantioxidants.

E. The Method of Manufacture

The method of manufacture of these lozenges may be any suitable methodknown in the art, including but not limited to, the addition of anicotine compound to premanufactured tablets; cold compression of aninert filler, a binder, and either pure nicotine or anicotine-containing substance (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,356,herein incorporated by reference); and encapsulation of nicotine or anicotine compound. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,753, herein incorporated byreference, for examples of methods of manufacture of various nicotinelozenges, sublingual tablets, and gelatin capsules. In a preferredembodiment, the lozenges are formed using direct compression. SeeExample 4 for a discussion of the manufacturing process in which thenicotine is dispersed in mannitol.

According to another embodiment, an in situ inclusion complex is createdwith nicotine and β-cyclodextrin using a kneading technique.Specifically, a small amount of a nicotine-water solution is added tocyclodextrin and kneaded or mixed. See Szezetli in Cyclodextrins andTheir Inclusion Complexes, Akademiai Kiado: Budapest, 1992; p. 109;herein incorporated by reference. This method of forming thenicotine-cyclodextrin inclusion complex is preferred as it minimizes theuse of solvents or diluents and thus, eliminates a purification step inthe manufacturing process. See also Example 5 for discussion of use ofthe kneading technique with nicotine and β-cyclodextrin.

A further embodiment of the present invention provides for theproduction of inclusion complexes of both the nicotine and theflavorant. This embodiment is employed, for example, when an essentialoil, or other volatile flavorant, such as carvone or menthol, is used inthe lozenge formulation. As in the case of the nicotine inclusioncomplexes described herein, incorporation of the flavorant intocyclodextrin decreases the volatility of the flavorant and increasesformulation stability. In addition, as the flavorant is slowly releasedfrom the complex during lozenge administration, the flavorant will"last" longer and thus, offset the acrid taste of the nicotine forlonger periods of time.

According to this embodiment, a mixture of the nicotine and theflavorant, and optionally water, is added to the cyclodextrin andkneaded. Alternatively, the nicotine inclusion complex and the flavorantinclusion complex can be prepared separately and then mixed prior tolozenge formulation.

According to another embodiment, a portion of the nonnutritivesweetener, preferably xylitol, is utilized to hard coat the nicotinelozenge. Traditional pan coating techniques can be employed. Typically,weight increases of approximately 35% can be accomplished in less thanthree hours. See, e.g., Olinger supra.

The lozenges may be packaged in such a manner as to aid in maintainingnicotine stability. Preferred packaging methods include strip laminationin a foil-like material such as Barex®, or packaging in blisters using aTeflon-like material such as Aclar®. See also, Hunt et al. (1991) U.S.Pat. No. 5,077,104.

As noted above, nicotine is a volatile substance. Others have reported ashort shelf-life for nicotine lozenges due to evaporation of thenicotine, particularly when the ambient temperature is above 15° C. SeeBelcher et al. (1989) Brit. J. Med. 298:570. The lozenges describedherein, however, are stable for extended periods of time at elevatedtemperatures, as shown below in Table 2. See Example 6 for a discussionof the assay procedure used to determine stability.

                                      TABLE 2                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Nicotine Lozenge Stability Data                                               Temperature                                                                          Time        Nicotine                                                                           Degradation                                                                          Dissolution                                                                         Dissolution                              (°C.)                                                                         (month)                                                                            Appearance                                                                           mg/1 oz.                                                                           products                                                                             test 5 min.                                                                         test 10 min.                             __________________________________________________________________________    --     Initial                                                                            White  1.001                                                                              <0.1%  89.7% 99.8%                                    35     1    Unchanged                                                                            0.996                                                                              <0.1%  90.3% 100.0%                                   35     2    Unchanged                                                                            0.998                                                                              <0.1%  88.7% 100.0%                                   35     3    Unchanged                                                                            1.000                                                                              <0.1%  92.2% 99.6%                                    R.T.   1    Unchanged                                                                            1.000                                                                              <0.1%  93.1% 99.8%                                    R.T.   2    Unchanged                                                                            0.986                                                                              <0.1%  95.3% 99.9%                                    R.T.   3    Unchanged                                                                            1.000                                                                              <0.1%  94.5% 100.1%                                   __________________________________________________________________________

The lozenges described herein will typically have a weight of betweenabout 70 and 1000 mg and will contain fairly low doses of nicotine,preferably less than 5 mg, and most preferably from 0.5 to 2.0 mg.

III. Method of Use

The present invention further provides a method of using nicotinelozenges to provide periodic transient blood level peaks of nicotine asan aid in reducing symptoms of craving of nicotine. Typically, thelozenges described herein will be used ad libitum by the patient toalleviate cravings for nicotine as they arise. Thus, this methodprovides for a means for the patient to self-titrate his administrationneeds.

More specifically, nicotine cravings depend, in part, upon daily stresspatterns, sleep and eating habits and body weight, previous smokinglevels, and the like. Thus, the desire or need for lozenges (comparableto the desire to smoke cigarettes) typically will vary during any givenday and from day to day, as well as from patient to patient. The methodsdescribed herein allow the patient to consume lozenges in the amountsand at the times when he most feels the craving for nicotine. Asnicotine craving is considered by some to be the most consistent andmost severe factor in preventing a person from quitting smoking, thisability to self-titrate and thus, stave off the craving for nicotinewill increase the efficacy of a smoking cessation program.

A variety of methods can be utilized to assess the craving for nicotine,including but not limited to, the nicotine craving test specified by theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised ThirdEdition (DSM-III-R) (see (1991) J. Am. Med. Assoc. 266:3133); theShiffman-Jarvik Craving Subscale (see O'Connell and Martin (1987) J.Consult. Clin. Psychol. 55:367-371 and Steur and Wewers (1989) ONF16:193-198, also describing a parallel visual analog test); West et al.(1984) Br. J. Addiction 79:215-219; and Hughes et al. (1984)Psychopharmacology 83:82-87, each of which is expressly incorporatedherein by reference. As described in the J. Am. Med. Assoc.266:3133, atpage 3135, nicotine withdrawal symptoms, specified by the DSM-III-R, arescored based on the following symptoms: nicotine craving, irritability,frustration, anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and restlessness.Severity of each symptom is rated as (0) none, (1) slight, (2) mild, (3)moderate, or (4) severe. A mean combined withdrawal symptom score iscalculated for each patient as the average of the individual symptomscores. In the J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 55: 367-371, at page 367 andONF 16:193-198 at page 194-195, the Shiffman-Jarvik Craving Subscale(SJCS) is described as a 6-item, forced-choice, self-report tool thatmeasures cigarette craving. Each item has 7 possible responses whichcorrespond to scores ranging from 1 (no craving) to 7 (high craving). Amean score is obtained to determine the respondent's level of craving.The visual analogue test (VAS) is a 100-mm vertical unmarked scaleranging from 0 (no craving) to 100 (craving as bad as can). A studyparticipant is asked to draw a single horizontal line through the scaleto indicate the amount of craving experienced at the time the VAS iscompleted. As described above, the publication Br. J. Addiction79:215-219, at page 216-17, describes a `craving questionnaire` havingfive items which asks subjects in a study of the affect of nicotinereplacement on cigarette withdrawal syndrome to rate how much they hadbeen missing their cigarettes, how difficult it had been to be withoutcigarettes, how much they had been aware of not smoking, howpre-occupied they had been with thinking about cigarettes and how muchthey had craved their cigarettes. These ratings are combined to give asingle craving score. In the publication, Psychopharmacology 83:82-87,at page 83, two measurements of withdrawal symptoms were obtained fromtest participants in a test of the affect of nicotine on the tobaccowithdrawal syndrome. The two measurements included a rating list and theprofile of mood states (PALMS) questionnaire. The symptom rating listincluded the DSM-III criteria for tobacco withdrawal: cigarette craving,irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, headache,drowsiness and gastrointestinal disturbances. Subjects also rated theirfatigue, impatience, and hunger and listed the incidents of varioussomatic complaints, such as sweating and dizziness. Subjects rated eachsymptom from 0 =not present to 1 =mild, 2 =moderate and 3 =severe.

A preferred nicotine craving scale comprises that specified inDSM-III-R. Supra. According to this scale, as described above, a subjectis asked to rate his craving for nicotine, as well as his level ofirritability, frustration, anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating andrestlesness. Severity of each symptom is then rated on a scale between 0and 4, wherein 0 is none; 1 is slight; 2 is mild; 3 is moderate; and 4is severe. The mean combined withdrawal symptom score is calculated forthe subject as the average of all of the symptom scores. Using thecompositions and methods described herein, the subject should attain atleast a one unit, and preferably at least a two 10 unit, decrease in hiscraving for nicotine as measured by the protocol set forth in DSM-III-Rfrom 2 to 30 minutes after administration of the nicotine lozenge. Morepreferably, the maximum reduction in craving for nicotine will occurfrom about 2 to 10 minutes after administration of the nicotine lozenge.

As described above, the Shiffman-Jarvik Craving Scale is a six-item,forced-choice, self-report tool that measures cigarette craving. Eachitem has seven possible responses which correspond to scores rangingfrom 1 (no craving) to 7 (high craving). A mean score is obtained todetermine the respondent's level of craving. A craving typical scoremeasured 48 hours after the initiation of a smoking cessation program isbetween about 4 and 5; while a two-week follow-up craving scale willtypically be between about 3 and 4. Using the compositions and methodsdescribed herein, the subject should attain at least a one unit, andpreferably at least a two unit, decrease in his craving for nicotine asmeasured by the protocol set forth in the Shiffman-Jarvik Craving Scalefrom 2 to 30 minutes after administration of the nicotine lozenge. Morepreferably, the maximum reduction in craving for nicotine will occurfrom about 2 to 10 minutes after administration of the nicotine lozenge.

The "craving questionnaire" craving scale, as described above, employs afive item questionnaire that asks subjects to rate how much they hadbeen missing their cigarettes, how difficult it had been to be withoutcigarettes, how much they had been aware of not smoking, how preoccupiedthey had been with thinking about cigarettes, and how much they hadcraved their cigarettes. The subject responds to each question with anumber between 1 and 3, where 1 is low and 3 is high. The ratings arecombined to give a single craving score. According to this cravingscale, a combined score of between about 9 and 12 is typical. Using thecompositions and methods described herein, the subject should attain atleast a three unit, and preferably at least a four unit, decrease in hiscraving for nicotine as measured by the protocol set forth for use withthis craving questionnaire from 2 to 30 minutes after administration ofthe nicotine lozenge. More preferably, the maximum reduction in cravingfor nicotine will occur from about 2 to 10 minutes after administrationof the nicotine lozenge.

Of course, the lozenges can also be used according to a dosage patternprescribed by a physician. The dosage pattern will vary with theindication. For example, in addition to use in smoking cessation orreduction therapy, the nicotine lozenges described herein can be usedfor the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, ulcerative colitis and relatedconditions, and diseases associated with reduced central cholinergicfunction, loss of cholinergic neurons, significant reduction in nicotinereceptor binding, neurodegenerative dementia, or cognition and memoryimpairment. See Masterson (1991) U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,904; Wesnes andWarburton (1984) Psychopharmacology 82:147-150; and Warburton et al.(1986) Psychopharmacology 89:55-59.

The lozenge should be administered without holding any other substance,such as food or beverage, in the mouth. It is particularly importantthat acidic substances or beverages such as fruits, coffee, tea, orfruit juices are not consumed immediately or concurrently with thenicotine lozenge, in order to insure that a basic environment ismaintained within the mouth.

The lozenge is preferably held from 2-10 minutes in the mouth as itdissolves completely and releases nicotine into the mouth, and thedissolved nicotine solution is held in the mouth for as long as possibleso that the nicotine is absorbed through the buccal mucosa.

Example 7 describes a protocol for measuring nicotine blood levels inpatients using the nicotine lozenge of the present invention. Use of thelozenge will result in a transient nicotine blood level peak from 2 to30 minutes, and more preferably from 2 to 10 minutes, after the lozengeis placed in the mouth.

FIG. 2 presents the disintegration/dissolution 10 profiles of the threeformulations described in Examples 1-3 (Formulation 1 contains nicotine,mannitol, xylitol, mint flavor, and other excipients; Formulation 2contains nicotine, mannitol, xylitol, tobacco flavor, and otherexcipients; and Formulation 3 contains nicotine, cyclodextrin, xylitol,and mint flavor). As shown in FIG. 2, lozenges formulated according tothe present invention will be at least 60% dissolved after 3 minutes inthe mouth, at least 80% dissolved after 5 minutes, and approximately100% dissolved after 10 minutes.

Specific examples of the composition of this invention are set forthbelow.

In order that the invention described herein can be more fullyunderstood, the following examples are set forth. It should beunderstood that these examples are for illustrative purposes only, andare not to be construed as limiting this invention in any manner.

EXAMPLE 1 NICOTINE LOZENGE FORMULATION WITH XYLITOL, MANNITOL, AND MINTFLAVOR

    ______________________________________                                        Ingredients         mg/tablet                                                 ______________________________________                                        Nicotine            1.0                                                       Mannitol            200.0                                                     Xylitol             1309.0                                                    Mint flavor         20.0                                                      Ammonium glycyrrhizinate                                                                          15.0                                                      Sodium carbonate    5.0                                                       Sodium bicarbonate  15.0                                                      Hydrogenated vegetable oil                                                                        25.0                                                      Magnesium stearate  10.0                                                      ______________________________________                                    

Manufacturing process

Nicotine was dispersed in mannitol.

The powders were mixed.

The mixture was compressed with a suitable alternative tablet press,using a square 16 mm-punch dosing 1600 mg/tablet.

Packaging

Tablets were packed into strips of aluminum/Barex.

EXAMPLE 2 NICOTINE LOZENGE FORMULATION WITH XYLITOL, MANNITOL, ANDTOBACCO FLAVOR

    ______________________________________                                        Ingredients         mg/tablet                                                 ______________________________________                                        Nicotine            1.0                                                       Mannitol            200.0                                                     Xylitol             1316.5                                                    Tobacco flavor      6.0                                                       Colloidal silica    1.5                                                       Ammonium glycyrrhizinate                                                                          15.0                                                      Sodium carbonate    5.0                                                       Sodium bicarbonate  15.0                                                      Hydrogenated vegetable oil                                                                        30.0                                                      Magnesium stearate  10.0                                                      ______________________________________                                    

Manufacturing process

Nicotine was dispersed in mannitol.

The powders were mixed.

The mixture was compressed with a suitable alternative tablet press,using a square 16 mm-punch dosing 1600 mg/tablet.

Packaging

Tablets were packed into strips of aluminum/barex.

EXAMPLE 3 NICOTINE LOZENGE FORMULATION WITH XYLITOL, β-CYCLODEXTRIN, ANDMINT FLAVOR

    ______________________________________                                        Ingredients         mg/tablet                                                 ______________________________________                                        Nicotine            1.0                                                       β-cyclodextrin 109.0                                                     Water               10.0                                                      Xylitol             1400.0                                                    Mint flavor         20.0                                                      Ammonium glycyrrhizinate                                                                          15.0                                                      Sodium carbonate    5.0                                                       Sodium bicarbonate  15.0                                                      Hydrogenated vegetable oil                                                                        25.0                                                      Magnesium stearate  10.0                                                      ______________________________________                                    

Manufacturing process

Nicotine was dispersed in β-cyclodextrin.

The powders were mixed.

The mixture was compressed with a suitable alternative tablet press,using a square 16 mm-punch dosing 1600 mg/tablet.

Packaging

Tablets were packed into strips of aluminum/barex.

EXAMPLE 4 MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR NICOTINE LOZENGE FORMULATION WITHXYLITOL, MANNITOL, AND MINT FLAVOR

1)Preparation of the nicotine-mannitol mixture

One kg of mannitol was sieved through a 50 mesh sieve and was placed ina Tonazzi mixer. Next, 10 g of nicotine were added slowly with mixingfor 10 minutes. The mixture was transferred to a 2 liter amber glassbottle and mixed for 15 minutes in a Turbula mixer.

2) Preparation of the granulate

A quantity of 50.5 g of the mixture from (1) above and 654.5 g ofXilitab 200 (xylitol) were sieved with a 20 mesh sieve, and then weremixed with 50 g mannitol, 5 g magnesium stearate, 12.5 mg Lubritab(hydrogenated vegetable oil), 10 g mint flavor, 7.5 g ammoniumglycyrrhizinate, 7.5 g sodium bicarbonate, and 2.5 g sodium carbonate,and was sieved through a 50 mesh sieve.

The mixture was transferred to a 2 liter amber glass bottle and mixedfor 15 minutes in a Turbula mixer.

3) Tablet formation

The mixture was tabletted in a Belloni alternative press, using a 16-mm²punch. Tablet weight was 1600 mg/tablet.

4) Packaging

The tablets were packaged into strips of paper/aluminum/Barex.

EXAMPLE 5 MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR NICOTINE LOZENGE FORMULATION WITHXYLITOL, β-CYCLODEXTRIN, AND MINT FLAVOR

1) Preparation of the nicotine - β-cyclodextrin complex

An initial quantity of 56.76 g of β-cyclodextrin was placed in a 400 mLbeaker and 5.68 g of H₂ O (equivalent to 10% of the powder) was addedwith stirring. The water was added in amounts of 1.9 g at a time, withstirring for 10 minutes at each step. The powder, before addition ofnicotine, was similar to a wet granulate.

Next, 6.37 g of nicotine was added very slowly with stirring, and at theend of the process the granulate was stirred for 10 minutes. Theobtained granulate was dried in an oven at 35° C. for 2 hours.

A sample was then analyzed for nicotine content.

Preparation of the dry granulate

A quantity of 5.25 g of the nicotine - β-cyclodextrin complex, 50 g ofβ-cyclodextrin, 5 g magnesium stearate, 12.5 g Lubritab® (hydrogenatedvegetable oil), 10 g mint flavor, 7.5 g ammonium glycyrrhizinate, 7.5 gsodium bicarbonate, and 2.5 g sodium carbonate were sieved through an 80mesh sieve.

Next, 700 g of Xilitab® 100 (xylitol) was sieved through a 50 meshsieve.

The mixture was mixed in a Turbula mixer for 20 minutes.

3) Tablet formation

The mixture from (2) above was tabletted with a Belloni tablet pressequipped with square punches. Tablet weight was 1600 mg/tablet.

Packaging

The tablets were put in strips of paper/aluminum/Barex having thefollowing composition: paper 50 g/m², aluminum 12 μthickness, 32 g/m²,Barex 35 g/m².

EXAMPLE 6 NICOTINE LOZENGE STABILITY ASSAY

One nicotine lozenge was crushed and placed in a 50 mL volumetric flask.To the flask was then added tetrahydrofuran (25 mL) and the flask wastransferred to a sonicating bath where it was allowed to stand for 20minutes. Sufficient ethyl acetate was added to bring the solution up to50 mL. A portion of this solution (1 mL) was removed and placed in a 25mL volumetric flask. To this flask was then added a few milliliters ofwater and 0.25 mL of an internal standard solution consisting of 50 mgacetanilide diluted to 100 mL with water. The organic solvents wereremoved using a gentle nitrogen gas flow which resulted in a cloudysolution. Sufficient water was then added to the cloudy solution tobring the volume of the solution to 25 mL. The solution was thenfiltered through a 0.22 mcm membrane.

The amount of nicotine in the sample was determined using highperformance liquid chromatography (column temperature, 30±1° C.; mobilephase, water:methanol:acetate buffer (0.1M, pH=4.0):acetonitrile60:31:7:2, adjusted to pH=6.82 with triethylamine, filtered, anddeaerated; mobil phase flow rate, 1.0 mL/min; solid phase, SupelcosilLC1808 (5 mcm) 25 centimeters (cm)×4.6 millimeters (mm), available fromSupelco Inc.; and analytical wavelength 254±1 nanometers (nm)). Underthese conditions, nicotine and acetanilide had retention times of about7.7 and 9.3 minutes, respectively. The ratio of the components in themobile phase can be varied to provide suitable elution times for thenicotine and the internal standard.

EXAMPLE 7 IN VIVO MEASUREMENT OF NICOTINE RELEASE FROM A LOZENGE

A clinical trial of the lozenge described in Example 1 involves sixpatients who are each given one lozenge on study day 1 at 8:00 a.m. Apre-dose blood sample is taken before each administration. The patientsare asked to suck the lozenge. Blood samples are taken at 2.5, 5, 7.5,10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, and 240 minutes. Inaddition, immediately after the lozenge has dissolved, the patientnotifies the medical staff so that the time of dissolution can berecorded.

Blood samples of 5 mL are collected in lithium heparinate tubes.Immediately after collection, the samples are cooled and centrifuged at4° C. at 1500 rpm for 15 minutes. The plasma is then transferred topolypropylene tubes and stored at -30° C. until analysis for nicotineand cotinine. A capillary gas chromatographic method is used for theanalysis of nicotine and cotinine. The detection limit is 0.8 ng/mL fornicotine and 5.0 ng/mL for cotinine. The quantitative determinationlimit is 1.0 ng/mL for nicotine and 10 ng/mL for cotinine.

The disclosures in this application of all articles and references,including patent documents, are incorporated herein by reference.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments will be apparent tothose of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Thescope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not withreference to the above description, but should instead be determinedwith reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of reducing nicotine craving comprisingadministering buccally to a patient a nicotine lozenge, said lozengecomprising nicotine, an absorbent excipient, and a nonnutritivesweetener, wherein said buccal administration of said nicotine lozengeresults in a decrease in the patient's craving for nicotine as measuredby a nicotine craving scale, further comprising the steps of:i)immediately prior to the buccal administration of the nicotine lozenge,evaluating the patient's initial craving for nicotine using a nicotinecraving scale, wherein said nicotine craving scale is selected from thegroup consisting of a scale set forth in DSM-III-R, and a CravingQuestionnaire; and ii) subsequent to the buccal administration of thenicotine lozenge, evaluating the patient's subsequent craving fornicotine using said nicotine craving scale;wherein said buccaladministration of said nicotine lozenge results in maximal decrease inthe patient's craving for nicotine as measured by said nicotine cravingscale from 2 to 30 minutes after the buccal administration of thenicotine lozenge.
 2. The method of reducing nicotine craving asdescribed in claim 1, wherein said buccal administration of saidnicotine lozenge results in at least a one unit decrease in craving asmeasured by the scale set forth in DSM-III-R.
 3. The method of reducingnicotine craving as described in claim 1, wherein said buccaladministration of said nicotine lozenge results in at least a three unitdecrease in craving as measured by the Craving Questionaire.
 4. Themethod of reducing nicotine craving as described in claim 1, whereinsaid buccal administration of nicotine results in a maximum decrease inthe patient's craving for nicotine from 2 to 10 minutes after saidbuccal administration of nicotine.
 5. A method of reducing nicotinecraving comprising administering buccally to a patient a nicotinelozenge, said lozenge comprising nicotine, an absorbent excipient, and anonnutritive sweetener, wherein said buccal administration of saidnicotine lozenge results in a decrease in the patient's craving fornicotine as measured by a nicotine craving scale, wherein said buccaladministration of nicotine obtained by allowing a nicotine lozenge tocompletely dissolve in the mouth results in a maximum decrease in thepatient's craving for nicotine from 2 to 10 minutes after said buccaladministration of nicotine.
 6. A method of reducing nicotine cravingcomprising administering buccally to a patient a nicotine lozenge, saidlozenge comprising nicotine, an absorbent excipient, and a nonnutritivesweetener, wherein said buccal administration of said nicotine lozengeresults in a decrease in the patient's craving for nicotine as measuredby a nicotine craving scale, where the absorbent excipient is mannitol.7. A method of reducing nicotine craving comprising administeringbuccally to a patient a nicotine lozenge said lozenge comprisingnicotine, an absorbent excipient, and a nonnutritive sweetener, whereinsaid buccal administration of said nicotine lozenge results in adecrease in the patient's craving for nicotine as measured by a nicotinecraving scale, where the absorbent excipient is B-cyclodextrin.
 8. Themethod of reducing nicotine craving as described in claims 6 or 7, wherethe nonnutritive sweetener is xylitol.
 9. The method of reducingnicotine craving as described in claim 8 where the nonnutritivesweetener further comprises ammonium glycyrrhizinate.
 10. A method ofreducing nicotine craving comprising administering buccally to a patienta nicotine lozenge, said lozenge comprising nicotine, an absorbentexcipient, and a nonnutritive sweetener, wherein said buccaladministration of said nicotine lozenge results in a decrease in thepatient's craving for nicotine as measured by a nicotine craving scalewhere said nicotine lozenge has a pH between 6 and 11.